Kilmarnock 0 Hearts 2

By Lisa Gray, PA Sport

Mark de Vries exorcised the ghosts of Hearts' last game at Kilmarnock with a double strike at Rugby Park.

The Dutch forward opened the scoring in the 14th minute for the Tynecastle side before grabbing a second four minutes before the break in a comfortable win.

But the result was made even sweeter for Hearts head coach Craig Levein who took his place in the dug-out after his appeal against a Scottish Football Association four-month ban was upheld.

Levein had criticised referee Dougie McDonald after the last game between the two sides before refusing to pay the fine imposed by the SFA for the outburst.

The initial £1000 fine was subsequently quadrupled before the SFA handed the defiant Hearts boss a lengthy touchline ban when he failed to pay.

But Levein has appealed against the ban and watched with delight as his side took three deserved points from Ayrshire.

Right from the outset Hearts were on fire and Phil Stamp could have opened the scoring as early as five minutes when he unleashed a volley that fell just over the crossbar.

That was followed by a Scott Severin free-kick, which forced goalkeeper Colin Meldrum into action, before the Hearts midfielder fired just wide from the corner of the six-yard box a few seconds later.

When de Vries opened the scoring for the visitors in the 14th minute nobody was surprised.

Patrick Kisnorbo fed the ball through to de Vries, who did well to round the goalkeeper before slotting home.

Then, Kisnorbo came close to adding his own name to the scoresheet with a close-range shot which forced Greg Shields into a goalline clearance.

The Killie defender came to the rescue again when he intercepted Alan Maybury's cross before Dennis Wyness could slot home from a couple of yards.

Kilmarnock were being given little respite and they found themselves two goals behind four minutes before the break as de Vries grabbed a deserved double.

This time the towering Dutchman met Joe Hamill's corner to bullet a header past a helpless Meldrum.

Killie boss Jim Jefferies used up all three substitutions at half-time in a desperate attempt to haul his side back into the game.

Gary McSwegan, Alan Mahood and Garry Hay all failed to reappear for the second half and were replaced by Stephen Murray, Martin Hardie and Colin Nish.

Jefferies clearly had a few choice words for his players in the dressing-room at half-time and his players emerged with more fight and determination.

They even had a decent chance at goal when Shields fired just over the crossbar from just outside the 18-yard box a few minutes after the restart.

But Hearts showed they were still a threat when Kisnorbo's throw-in was met by de Vries, who knocked the ball into the path of Severin only for him to nod wide.

De Vries was proving to be Hearts' biggest threat and he had another good chance from 10 yards.

Meldrum blocked the effort but spilled the ball and was forced to rely on Canero to clear the danger.

With 15 minutes remaining Kilmarnock had a chance to pull themselves back into the game when James Fowler produced a great run into the area before lining up the shot for Hardie but the former Partick man fired well over.

Canero came closer a couple of minutes later but he also failed to find the target, sending his 25-yard drive just wide of the upright.

But, despite their attempts at a fightback in the second half, the home side were forced to end the game empty-handed.

Teams

Kilmarnock Meldrum, McLaughlin, Shields, Dindeleux, Fowler, Canero, Mahood (Hardie 45), Fulton, Hay (Murray 45), McSwegan (Nish 45), Boyd.

Subs Not Used: Dubourdeau, Greer.

Booked: Dindeleux, Hardie.

Hearts Moilanen, Maybury, Pressley, Webster, Kisnorbo, Hamill (Boyack 65), MacFarlane, Stamp, Severin, de Vries (Kirk 90), Wyness.

Subs Not Used: Gordon, McKenna, Hartley.

Booked: Stamp, Boyack, de Vries.

Goals: de Vries 14, 41.

Att: 6,925

Ref: H Dallas (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com